Buying a second-hand MacBook: What to check?

Introduction:

Looking to buy a Macbook Air or Pro, but can’t afford the latest one? 

Fortunately for you, there are plenty of them available on the second hand market, meaning that ownership of the iconic Macbook has never been more accessible.

But what exactly should you do when buying a second-hand Mac?

1: Check the iCloud Activation Lock Status in ‘System Information’ (2018-present) - VERY IMPORTANT!

If you’re purchasing a Mac from 2017 or before, you can skip this tip. If you are purchasing a Mac with an Intel chip that was released between 2018 and 2020, they’ll have what’s known as a T2 Security Chip. The purpose of the T2 Chip is to enhance the Mac’s security features. These security features, such as iCloud Activation lock, are also used in the M1 Macs. These latter Macs are based entirely on what’s known as Apple Silicon. The iPhones and iPads have similar processors to these Macs.

Apple T2 Chip and M1 Processors

What is iCloud Activation Lock?

Activation Lock is a feature that blocks iPhones, iPads and Macs that have been subject to an unauthorised erasure in Recovery or DFU mode if ‘Find My’ has not been turned off. Find My is a feature that links your device to your Apple iCloud account, so you can remotely flag it as lost or erase the device if it falls into the wrong hands. 

Now, to check the Mac’s Activation Lock status, click on the Apple logo, then click ‘About This Mac’.

Afterwards, when you are greeted with this window below, click on ‘System Report’. This will open up the ‘System Information’ program.

The final line in this window below shows the Activation Lock status. In simple terms:

Enabled = BAD

Disabled = GOOD

If Activation Lock is enabled, the seller needs to first go into ‘System Preferences’, then click on ‘Apple ID’,

Then once you’re in the Apple ID prompt, untick ‘Find My Mac’.

Then, check System Information again. If Activation Lock is disabled, then you are good to go! If the seller refuses to unlink ‘Find My’ for any reason, CANCEL THE PURCHASE. Buying a Mac linked to another person’s iCloud account can not only result in you losing your money, but it can also result in potential legal consequences down the line, especially if the device is marked as stolen.

2: Check the MacBook’s specifications are as described:

When you go into ‘About this Mac’ as mentioned in the previous tip, it will provide you with the system version, what processor the Mac has, and how much RAM the device has. Then you can click on ‘Storage’.

For example, if the Mac you want is marketed as having ‘512 GB storage’, if it says 500 GB you are good to go. Same as ‘256GB storage’ being shown as ‘250 GB’ in ‘About This Mac’. This is nothing to worry about. 

3: Verify the serial number

Scammers can use sophisticated methods of spoofing hardware data if they want to sell you a Mac that isn’t what they say it is (such as a 2017 MacBook Pro being sold as a 2019).

To be assured you’re getting the correct product, run the serial number through Apple’s website linked here: https://checkcoverage.apple.com

You can use your iPhone’s Safari browser in order to type in the serial number. Then enter the CAPTCHA code (this is just to check if you are a human or a bot).

Below is the result you get once you enter your serial number in.

This should be the following screen you get, which will confirm which Mac model the device is and the year it was released. If everything adds up, you are good to go! 

If there are any discrepancies between the ‘About This Mac’ section and the serial number, cancel the purchase. The seller has tried to scam you and they’ve been caught. 

4: Test the built-in Keyboard!

To do this, open System Preferences, then click on ‘keyboard’.

Then, click on Input Sources and tick ‘show input menu in menu bar’.

Then click on the following taskbar icons and click ‘Show Keyboard Viewer’

Once you see the below keyboard prompt that’s similar to this, just skim your fingers through each key per line. If every key is red, that means the keyboard is fully working. Just keep in mind the possibility of ‘Sticky keys’ for 2016-2019 MacBook Pros and 2018-19 MacBook Airs.

5: Test built-in speakers in System Preferences

You don’t want to get a Mac that doesn’t have working internal speakers, do you? To test this, open System Preferences and click on ‘Sound’.

Make sure the output is the built-in speakers and the balance is in the middle, then click on Sound Effects:

Set the Alert sound to ‘Funky’ and click it to play the sound effect as many times as you want. 

If the sounds can be heard clearly, that means the speakers are in good working condition.

6: Test built-in camera using FaceTime

Open the FaceTime program, and if the camera turns on and works, then you’re good to go!

7: Check if the device is subject to an MDM or DEP enrolment.

This is just as important as checking whether a device is Activation Locked or not. MDM/DEP devices are generally owned by corporations, schools and universities and as a result, they would have a certain profile set up by the company’s IT administrator. Buying devices that still have an MDM or DEP profile on it is illegal, and there is a high probability the Mac was stolen in order for the seller to get a quick buck. Additionally, you wouldn’t be able to reset the device if such a situation arises due to an MDM block at the Setup Assistant. 

To check if there’s any MDM/DEP lock, open the application ‘Terminal’ from Applications. Click on ‘Utilities’ and then double click Terminal. 

Once you’ve opened Terminal, type in the following command then press ‘return’:

profiles status -type enrollment

If you get a ‘No’ answer for both DEP and MDM enrolment, then you are good to go!

If there is a ‘Yes’ answer for either, cancel the purchase. It’s probably a stolen company device.

8: Check for any physical scratches or dents on the laptop.

This is fairly obvious; scratches on the screen or dents on the top case could devalue the device, so it’s best to check if this has been the case. If there are lines on the screen, the laptop is damaged. You should also bring a USB stick when inspecting the device to check if each of the USB ports work just in case.

9: Check if there’s a firmware password lock (Intel Macs)

A firmware password is a hardware security lock that prevents hackers or any other malicious users from starting external operating systems on the device. The lock prompt looks like this, and in very rare cases it could be used to stop people from starting the computer.

To check if there is a firmware password lock, restart the device into macOS Recovery by holding Command-R when the screen turns off, and continuing to hold it until you get an Apple logo with the progress bar.

Afterwards, click on ‘Utilities’ and click ‘Startup Security Settings’. If it says there is no firmware password on the computer, then you are good to go and there’s nothing to worry about. If, however, there is a password, the original owner must turn it off by typing in the currently set firmware password.

10: Erase the Mac using ‘Erase All Content and Settings’ (2018+) if the Mac is running macOS Monterey.

This option exists if the macOS system version is 12 Monterey. macOS Monterey introduced a feature that allows users to factory reset the MacBook, which deletes all personal data and settings on the device and leaves only macOS on it. This should be done in front of the original owner and works on all Macs with a T2 or Apple Silicon M1 chip (2018 to present). 

Open ‘System Preferences’ then click ‘Erase All Content and Settings’

You will be prompted to put in your password, and then the screen below will appear.

Once you click on ‘continue’, a final warning will appear warning you that all settings, media and data will be erased.

Once you begin the EACAS process, it will take around three minutes, which afterwards you would have to connect the Mac to the Internet for activation. Once the Mac is activated, it will restart again and open the Setup Assistant.

Additional Important Notes:

1: If a Mac has no macOS installed on it, or has the following icon on the screen, do NOT BUY. It’s just not worth it if you can’t test that everything works, especially if the seller doesn’t have a system installed on it.

2: For Australian Mac owners, the warranty period for hardware replacements (except the battery) would be THREE YEARS from the date of purchase, not ONE. For example, if you purchased a Mac in June 2019, you will still have warranty on the hardware until June 2022. If you purchased your Mac and it suddenly presents you with issues, as long as it remains in the warranty period, you can get it repaired at an Apple Store or an Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) – provided the device does not have iCloud Activation Lock turned on at the time of repair.

3: Meet the seller at a public place where there are lots of eye-witnesses, such as a shopping centre or a train station. This is a safety precaution that is recommended for all buyers. Don’t go to a random stranger’s house!

4: Buy from Facebook marketplace sellers or anyone who is willing to meet in person. The reason why I recommend this is because with eBay sellers or similar, you don’t even get to inspect the device until you’ve already paid for it, and by then it’s too late to take action if you find something wrong with the device.

5: Check the seller’s ratings. I would advise against buying from someone with a poor rating to reduce your risk of getting scammed, or the seller not showing up at all.

Mactracker:

There is a program called Mactracker which is available on both macOS and iOS devices. This application is a digital encyclopaedia of every Mac model, and is useful when comparing the different specifications of each Mac so you will know exactly what you’re getting. This is more for technically advanced users; however, it’s still a recommended program for further info. One example is the MacBook Air below:

Definitions:

Apple Authorised Service Provider: A third party repair shop that has official access to Apple’s repair system, which allows them to conduct Mac repairs on Apple’s behalf.

Apple Silicon: Apple’s custom ARM-based processors used in iPhones, iPads and now Macs.

Apple ID: Your Apple account used for downloading apps, syncing contacts and messages, and tracking devices that have ‘Find My’ turned on.

Find My: A tracking system for all your devices that are linked to iCloud.

DEP: Device Enrollment Program, used by corporations and educational institutions to set a profile on the Macs they own. 

Firmware: The Mac’s bootloader. This is what is used to start macOS.

macOS: The Mac’s operating system. Formerly known as OS X.

MacBook Pro: Apple MacBooks released for the professional market.

MacBook Air: Apple MacBooks released for the consumer/home market.

MacTracker: A program that provides information about every Mac ever released.

T2 Chip: A security processor used in 2018-2020 MacBook Pros and Airs released prior to the M1 MacBook Pros + Airs.

Credits:

Martin Nobel - Lead Writer

All photos of Macs displayed are from ClipWireless.